Apparatus for making interlocking multiple duct conduits



All@ 23, 1932- w. MccLm'rocK E1' AL 1,873,445

APPARATUS FOR MAKING INTERLOCKING MULTIPLE DUCT CONDUITS Filed Aug.' 2.1929 4 sheets-sheet 1 Aug 23, 1932 w. MceLlNTocK Ef AL 1,873,445

APPARATUS FORMAKING ITERLOCKING MULTIPLE DUCT CONDUITS Filed Aujg. 2.1929 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 y 70 J9 if Aug- .23, 1932 w. MCCLINTOCK ET Al.873445 APPARATUS FOR MAKING INTERLOCKING MULTIPLE DUCT CONDUITS FiledAug. 2, 1929 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Aug. 23, 1932. w. MCCLINTOCK ET AL pgfAPPARATUS FOR MAKING INTERLOCKNG IVIUL'I'lPLEv DUCT CONDUITS Filed Aug.2, 1929 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Y single extruding operation.

Patented ug. 23, 1932 irs sriss sentira y tenus arrnnnfrcsronMannscifnfrnnnccnifiis iuunrrrnn DUCT vcoirouris 1 Appn'caaon friedAugust a, 1929. seriaiiiolesaisi;

This invention relates to an apparatus particularly adapted to be usedin the formation of inultiple'duct conduits provided withinter-engagingflanged ends, so thatthe adjoining pieces of conduitmay be placed inalinement and in overlapping or gointed relation to each other. Theinvention particularly relates to an apparatus comprisinga particularcombination andarrangement. of elements whereby an inter-engagingflanged conduit may be formed in a single operation.

More particularly, the invention relates to a die and to a formeradapted to cooperate with said die and adapted to retard the flow elplastic material through portions'of said die while permitting plasticmaterial to flow through other predetermined portions of the die.Furthermore, the invention embraces an apparatus capable of retardingthe flow of plastic material through. portions of the die withoutcausing cracks and unequal stresses to be set up in the finishedproduct.

Heretotore, conduits made romclay by extrusion processes, and thenburned, have been provided with flat plane ends.` Such conduits could beplaced in abutting relation to each other, but it has been impossible tomalte tight joints between such conduits, and very often the penetrationoit inoisture `impaired or destroyed the cables, wires and the likewithin such conduits. ln order to make water-tiglitV joints aroundabutting endsvof adjoining conduits, it has been necessary to use rathercomplicated forms and collars. The use of such complicated forms can beobvia-ted by the use of conduits made in accordance with this invention.i l. y

An object of this inventionfis todisclose and provide an apparatus tor'`forming ged multiple duct conduits. Another obiect is to disclose andprovide an appara-tus capable of forming a flanged conduit in vanotherobject is toV disclose and provide' an apparatus capable ofretarding the How of clay or other plastic material throughportionsthereo'wliile permitting clay or` pla. material tobe extruded 'andmoulded in other portions so as to form alanged or inter-` lockingmultiple duct conduit.

i A still furtherf-object of this irrvei'itiOnlis i silos-*gj WILLiAivrMacnnv'rocr; AND nov LACY, on Los ANGELES, cALIFoRNiA, assisrn'onsjro"racism sans enormous, os Los enemies, 'catiroenin nconsonneion oF canitodisclose and provide anew die and former cooperating. therewith, saidapparatus being capable of producing a multiple duct conduit providedwith inter-engaging ends.

Other objects, uses andadvantages of the apparatus '-1 described andembracedby this invention .will .become apparent vto-.those skilledinthe art from the following detailed 6o escriptionot a prelerred'forinof construction andzmode of operation. lndescribing the'invention,.reterence will be had to` thev appended drawings, inwhich:v.l Y V Fig. 1 is an end elevation of one form of conduit which may bemade on the apparatus embraced by this invention. i 4

f Fig. l2 is aside perspective, partly broken away,'ot the conduit shownin Figi: Y

Fig.v 3 is a longitudinal section of the con#v duit shown in Fig. 1,said section being taken along. the plane' indicated byline B5-#3.theconduitbeing sli-own in abutting relation,

with an adjoining conduit.

Fig. #lis a' longitudinal section `of ltwof interlocking conduitsmadegin laccordance with this invention and upon therapparatus disclosedhereinafter@ modified form of con---` duit' being shown.

Fig. 5 is a diagrammatic representationof ageneral assembly includingthegfapparatus embraced' bythis invention.

Y- Fig. 6" is Va bottom view, partly broken away, of the die included inthe apparatus, the View being takenalong line 6 6 indicated l in Fig. 5.

Fig. 7 is a vertical section ol the apparatus v shown'V n Figs. 5 and 6,the section beingsub-v stant'ially Aalongline 7 7 of Fig. 6. 1

Fig'. 8 is a plan view of the fornieran'dA locking spider,V the `viewbeing taken substane tially along the plane 8-8 indicated Ain Fig. TQFig. 9 isa detail, inl plan, otra portion of the locking bar shown indotted lines in Fig'.

In general the apparatus (shown in Figli)VA includes a suitable cylinderl adapted to r-eceivea plastic clay Vbody or other plasticinap terialVcapable of being' extruded andjforined` into conduits Meansmay beprovided for filling the cylinder l with plastic material',

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such means for example, including a continuous conveyor 2 adapted tofeed theplastic material from a suitable source-into the cylinder 1through a hopper or trough 3. A ram or pressure head 4 is preferablyprovided, said pressure head 4 being adapted to be slidably received inthe cylinder 1.` Any suitable means for moving the pres? s`urerh'ead14`into and within the cylindernjl may be provided. For example, as shownin the drawings, the pressure head 4 may be' connected by means .ofpiston rods 5 with a piston 6 within a steamcylinder 7, means beingprovidedv at 8 and 9 forpintroducing steam under pressure into thecylinder for moving the piston' 6 therein. Necessarily, suitable valvesand a source of steam under pressure needs Vbe provided, although suchmeans are not shown. Instead of using steam,l

sitioned beneath the die 10 isa former generi ally indicated at 11, saidformer 11 being movableA along an axis extending centrally through thedie 10 and cylinder 1. For example, the former V11 may be mounted'upon ascale rod l12 suitably mounted in a `bearing (not shown) at or below thefloor level indicated at 13. The lower end of the scale rod 12'may beconnected as shown at 14, with any suitable counter-balance orcounter-balances. As shown in Fig. 5, the scale rod-12 may be jcounter-balanced by means of weights 15 attached by means of flexiblecables 16 to the member A14, the cables 16 passing over pulleys 17. i if The apparatus generally described vhereinabove may be used inconnectionwith any other suitable means, such as for example,

`means for automatically discontinuing the Ydownward movement of the-pressure head 4 when an article of desired length has been vextrudedfrom the die 10. f One such apparae tus is described in applicationSerial Number 231,557, of which lVilliam McClintock and Frank Y. Pearneare the inventors.

The details of the die and former are shownv in Figs; 6 Vand 7. rlhe die10l maybe attached to the lower'endfo'f the kcylindergl in any suitablemanner, as by means of bolts passing through suitable apertures 18 inthe upper flange lof the die 10. Preferably, the

sin' walls 19 of the die 10 are `conical in contour,

inclining downwardly towards the center` of the die.V Furthermore, thedie may be pro-y vided -With one or more bridges 20 extendingsomewhat-into the cylinder1, said bridges being of elliptical `crosssection and preferably provided with a serrated lower edge,

such edge beingprovided with alternate Vrisers 21 and depressions 22 soas to form a serrated edge, as is indicated in Fig. 6. The

. against the clay being fed thereinto, and the staggered bottom edgeconstruction obviatesV the formationV of continuous straight cleavagelines in the extruded product.

Suspended from the main bridge or bridges 2O arecore members .24a one oisaid core members 24 being. provided for each duct which it is rdesiredto formfin the iinished conduit. lnasmuch as the dies shown forillustrative purposes in the drawings are adapted for use inthemanuiacture of a four-way conduit, four oi v'said cores 24 are shown.The cores l24 may be connected to the bridge 20 by `means of members25,'said members 25v being preferably'formed integrally with-the bridge20.

The cores 24 may be connected to the mem- Y bers 25 in anysuitablemanner, as for example, by means o machine screws 26 in threadedengagement with the lower ends of l members 25, the lower ends or" cores24 being hollow as indicatedat 27, so as to accommodate the head of themachine screw 26 and.

a suitable washer 28.y t

ly, as shown in Fig. 7, so as to guide the plas# tic material into theapertures separating said cores from each other in the lworking planeX-X indicated in Fig, 7, vand into the apertures between said coresV 24and the exterior lwalls of the die 10. f v Very often it is desirableVthat a peg-hole be `formed in the conduitcentrally thereof, and inorder to produce such a peg-hole in the finished product a Ymember 29 ispreferably suspended-romthe bridge 2O in a suitable position. e

The cylindrical member 29 may be adapted to it into a socket formed in aboss 30 in the bridge 20, the member 29 being provided with a threadedshank 31 of smaller diameter than the main body of the member29 withinthe socket 30, so as to permit the attachment of the member 29 by meansof a nut 32 to the bric ge 20. Y I

At the working plane K+K, shownl in Fig. k7, clayor other plasticmaterial will'be extruded from the die through theexternal openings 33and through the openings be- 33 `form the exterior wall koi: thefinished conduit, and a die made as described hereinabove would producea vstandard conduitwith a plane end. Instead of forming a conduit oiordinary construction, it is desired te dis.- close and provide amachine capable of producing a flanged conduitprovided with an endadapted to interlock with Aan abutting section. Two forms of` conduits,among' The upper walls or. .the cores 24 are preferably tapered outward-Ylao tween the core members 24. The openings `Y others-which. maybeepperetue of@ the eheeetee deeeribed hereeefte-.r-.eeeshewnyinfigs.15294:, Ae. edeete v drewtnge, the -eonduitmy.; compr.

et eletl" .duite-Y- )1efe1febly.,.the eeede-.te mede. in. eef.. eordancewith thisJinyenti'oninelude aJL protruding longitudinelly'-y ofv-Conduitbeyond the planeet the Webs, and 36, By

the plane oi the Webvdsl` meantl thel meeting Wlt plane as illustratedinFigs,4 In Fig. 3, the` lijp 42 isedepted to engage With the exteriorof an albuttingoonduit Weyl-l.

34,`se`d lip 42 beingf a; Continuation oli @n outwardly extending.lzinge; Fig.' 4 the lip 42 is a longitudinal extensionpi a partl of theWall 34, seid lip42 being edeptedtp. engage with anexternal grooveformed in .the opposedend of anI abuttingoonduit Wall 34..`

Theapparatus. adaptedto producen Londuit ofthe character described(.{olnprllses.ev y outwardly extending f1g1lngte44, on the, lower.portion of tbe4 die, 10,/seid. outwardly-entendi. ing innge4 44terminating in, alt downwardly),

extending lip 45..A Air. inlet vlves46offsuit. able. constructionarepreferably positionedin. l

the corner oftheI die tbusVfornejd-lthat is, in the. oorner.` formed bythe. flange 4 4 and the. lip 4.5. ee'dyelves 46. beine in Speeed.reletiee end numberltheir. epeeing depending. Seme: what upon theconsistency and olieiaoter ot the Pleete meterelbeing Heede.

When` dey ie employed theyelyee mey. be spaced a distance otifrorngtyotQthree in es, around the periphery of thedieu It I be noticed 4th ettheflenge 44 .eedthedeweyverdly extending.- lip. 45 extendA betet?. theeerxeefl. Working plane of the die and below the plane at Whichthe cores24 terminates. i A

The former 11 mentioned'herreinabove preferabl-y oomrrisesY a plate4(adapted to fpresent a wor 'ing time@ substantially .transverse to thelongitudinal axis off'the cylinder 1, and tbe flow oplasto material'`through the die described hereinabove. The Yarea, oit/tbe Working ace`48ofi tbe plate. 47,: is

i.' preferably equal tool'V slightly greater., their the. totalaneafoitbe apeeture inthedie.,- @bise is p ayrtioulagrly true when.. a,conduit suoli as is illustrated in Figs. l to 3ds to beiproolued,l

The plete 47 preterebly. eereeefehereeee plueelty eff-cere memeeleteeedthey belzsieebeing elightlyrpyremidel ferm eed; edeptedgftefeemeieteeleuttng v.leletiell with.

theeleweeende et, cores 24;eeepe1lded. inthe. LQ?- The eeremembersgeemey be etteehed! tette feeleeeplete 47-.i11eny'eeteb1e meel:A. by meeneet machine eereWe. 59,1% ybe eeet jinteefelly. thereyyth` Thefern .rfnlete ermey eleebe ereyded. Wtllle e Werdly extendieeflpelende1.1-.\e.1,1t. y; eet-endingvv fleege 5.2,.' Seid; Hedge. 5.2 ee.fedepted te eefee nteebetteg .reletet ette; 11.11.45. et the. :de-1Q111....thge1e 11e eepeesege-'yyey edeftormed between. ,the lip' ed` Seidpeeeeeeweyf being adapted to form a lip 420i thefflgosult;

Tjee-.temen plete e? ie.preferedely meme diieeeeeed-releteeeeby meeteefeel.: einen eefxeme eeneetbeee eefthefbeee 54 eeleleeete eedteemer plete47. beine' Preteerjgblx formed integrally-1 withy eeoh: other.' heeeeieel; bese .5.4v peetefebly. Provided .im Sleeve et eee'let.. .55.edepted tereeette the scale rod or equivalent means 15?,.j-R0tg11t.-eelyf-metmted-.epee theeleeyeee ee Spider: 5t nreydedi Witherme 57,.Seid .arme 57 y being edeceted te eeeperete with" heekmembeee 5,81Weeeeeheeke. 5.9 wey.; be etteidled` te the die ldeeebymeeeeef'meehieevSeleW-e e0- LA.Wheel the. @rms SZ of, 'the spider 56 are. in engegef.eteetftyith; the hebk eteteb'ele 5.8,.. thee the; feemee'pleteeedperticdlarlythe .Core memf bersf-49.` and lange, 5,2 thereof,- gre inabuttingtr 45' efithej die? y 1f0f 'Exeeeeiye- Vertical metier@ Qi thespider. 56 upon the. sleeve 55. may Vbe eel prey-,eetedby'-meeeeef e.coller 61 feetiedby the Sleeve defend. firmly 'attachedtheletefee;

by meedeelt. e eeteerety @2J-Ae shown. Eieef eed 9ajthe Spider dteiey'heproyded with. e eeeeee'er eeekete edepted te reeeive heedle.. et.,Seid.. .Needle bengiempleyed te` the eiedel; 5t eed .edueeg-v the 5etefeegege with.. er disengege. the.

f .f A. tit begin' ing-etenextreeien otenet-ien, the :e met.. ll'leleyederite eenteet. with; the? dee LQ the Spidery .56.r-perte11y..retetedtee.: te eetsetheerme15H0 eeeege with the. heele.- membee; 5.8lleete :tdeteiiet` ie the eydiedee l iez .thee eempre'eeed by..eperetiee et. the et ieetehtled ee. te .eemele'eeeeid Pleete metertiel.iiitheeeylinder .1i eedfeedee.

Seme. te; 'dewl out ef-'the'l dief 1Q. through...

ttlepeeeeeie-Weyel end'f-the Peeeee'eyeye betyteelltheleore.members 24.

'lhefpleete metetel'W-llbe eXtlded. freie teedie Ldeetil. theme11. et'eley teeete the. former plate 47. The vplastic materialetrededtteeeghthe epeeieee betweeethe tere' L Ieemberee; will feee'up'y'the Opening. .be-k tmc/eert.the ooref lnevinberszjtfbut will beve-teepedtheleettfee bythe plete-472 t 1.11 Order te Peet/eet .the`.Pleetie teettelfelr from.. beide eeeieetedteftee greet ePeeeeetetety'eeli.

ete

tures 65 are formed in the former plate 47 bejtween the core members 49,said apertures 65 been completely Vfilled with plastic material,

communicating with the opening between the former 47 andthe conical'base54. These apertures 65 may Vbe-'oi` veiy small diameter, say l'or g3g ofan inch. c xcessive pressure developed in the plastic material can thusbe relieved through the apertures 65, a smallr quantity of the plasticmaterial being extruded through the apertures 65 into the openingbetween the former plate 47 and' the conical base '54,.sai'd extrudedclay then being discharged'from the former between the pillars orcolumns 53.

The wall of plastic material extruded through the openi'n s 33 comes incontact with the surface 48 og the former plate 47, and is deflectedinto the opening 33a between the lip 45 and the lip 5l. While theplasticl material is'moving into the opening 33m, it is be'- ingrestrained from longitudinal movement between the core members 49 by theformer plate 47 As soon as the opening 83a has been'completely filledwith plastic material, the spider 56 may be partially rotated' so as todivorce rthe arms 57 Afrom the hooks 58, thereby permitting the former11 to move downwardly under the pressure of the clay or other plasticmaterial being extruded through the die 10. In'or'der to indicate whenthe chamber 33a has edge or ange 57 of the former plate 47.`

" It is to be understood that the former 11, together with itsappurtenances, is so counterbalanced by the weights 15 (as shownin Fig.

. 5) that only avery nominal pressure needs be exerted downwardly uponthe former '(after the arms 57Y are disengaged from the hooks 58) inorder to move the former downwardly.

When the former l1 is'first released byV disengagement of the arms 57,there may be atendency for the plasticmaterial in the aperture 33a andbetween the lips 5l and 45 to adhere to the sides of the die, andparticularly to the corner 'formed by the fiange 44 A and the lip 45.For'this reason, rair inlet valves 46 have .beenA provided in the recessthus formed, said valves admitting air to the recess as the formerbegins to move downwardly out of contact with the die. Thus, any suctionwhich may be established `by the intimate contact of the plasticmaterial with the sides-of the die, and particularly with the sides ofthe flange 44 and lip 45, is broken and the "formed extruded productVmoved downwardly. 1 Y

In order to assist in the removal of the formed or extruded conduit fromthe former plate 47, a plurality of air valves may be positioned in theface 48 of the former plate 47 exteriorly of the core members 49attached to the plate'47. Any suction which purposes of illustration,andthe invention s is not limited to the specific detailed descriptionhereinabove, norL the articular combination-and arrangementfo Velementsshown and described herein, but includes all such Vchanges andmodifications vas come within the scope ofthe appended claims.y v I Whatwe claim is: l. A former for use in making interlocking multiple ductconduits compris-ing a former plate, a plurality of core members n Yattached4 to said plate in spaced relation and spaced from the edge Vofsaid-plate, a flange peripherally extending' from said former plate,spaced air inlet valves in the edge of said former plate, and a lipextending in a plane parallel to 'the planel of the former plateextending 'from said flange, said lipr containing a plurality of spacedapertures.

2. In an apparatus for making interlocking multiple duct conduits, aformer comprising a former 'plate having an karea sub- S'tantiallyequivalentto the cross section of the article tobe produced thereon,aligned perforations insaid former plate, said perforations being inalignment with web portions of a `multiple ductr conduit to be formedthereon, a plurality of spaced air valves along the edge of said formerin substantial s alignment with the'walls of a conduit to be formedthereon.

3. In an apparatus for making interlocking, multiple duct conduits, aformer comprising a former plate of dimensions slightly exceeding thecross-sectional dimensions of the multiple duct conduit to be producedthereon, aligned perforations in said former plate, said perforationsbeing in valignment with web portionsof amultiple duct conduitA to beformed thereon, a lip peripherally extending from said former plate, anda iiange extending from said lip in a Aplane parallel to the plane ofthe former plate, said flange containing a plurality of spacedapertures.

4. In an apparatus for making interlocking', multiple duct conduits, aformer comprising a former plateof dimensions slightly exceeding thecross-sectional Adimensions of the multiple duct conduit4 to beproducedv thereon, aligned perforations in said former plate, said4perforations being in alignment spaced apertures.

with web portions of a'multiple duct conduit to be formed thereon,spaced air inlet Valves in the edge of said former plate, a lipperipherally extending from said former plate,

and a flange extending from said lip ,in a

plane parallel to the plane of the former plate, said flange containinga plurality of 5. In Van apparatusfor making interlocking, multiple ductconduits, a former corn-V extending from said former plate, and a vflange being provided with a plurality of spaced apertures. v Y

Signed at Los Angeles, Calif., this 17th day-of July, 1929. v i

WILLIAM MGCLINTOCK. ROY LACY.

flange extending from said lip in a plane substantially parallel to theplaneV of the'A former plate.

V6. In an apparatus for making interlocking, multiple duct conduits, aformer comprising a former plate of dimensions slightly exceeding thecross-sectional dimensions of the multiple duct conduit to be madethereon, a plurality of core members attached to said plate in spacedrelation and spaced from the edge of said plate, aligned perforations insaid former plate between said core members, said perforations being inalignment with web portions of a multiple duct conduit to be formed onsaid former, a plurality of spaced air inlet valves along the edge ofsaid former plate in substantial alignment with the Walls of a conduitto be formed thereon, a lip peripherally extending from said formerplate, and a flange extending from said lip in a plane substantiallyparallel to the plane of the former plate.

7. In an apparatus for making interlocking, multiple duct conduits, aformer comprising a former plate of dimensions slight- 1y exceeding thecross-sectional dimensions of the multiple duct conduit to be madethereon, a plurality of core members attached to said plate in spacedrelation and spaced from the edge of said plate, aligned perforations insaid former plate between said core members, said perforations being inalignment with web portions of a multiple duct conduit to be formed onsaid former, a plurality of spaced air Vinlet VValves along the edge ofsaid former plate in substantial alignment with the walls of a conduitto be formed thereon, a lip peripherally extending from said formerplate, and a flange extending from said lip in a plane substantiallyparallel to the plane of the former plate, said p in? Cil icc y

